Six common shipping surcharges and how to avoid them

Everyone experiences fees and surcharges – especially when shipping packages. Most often we notice them quickly when reviewing an invoice prior to payment, but they can add up fast, especially for businesses that ship frequently. Every business, small and large, needs to review shipping invoices regularly. Invoices show the shipping rate and any additional carrier charges, as well as surcharges, such as additional handling fees, oversized/large package charges, address correction fees, and more.

Understanding what the most common shipping surcharges are, and how to overcome them is your first line of defense.

Uncover the 6 most common shipping surcharges that might be hurting your bottom line

1. Address Correction Fee The Address Correction Fee is associated with an incorrect or incomplete address and parameters vary by carrier. A misspelled address or a missing unit number is minor, but the charge for address corrections can really add up.   

2. Additional Handling Surcharge  The Additional Handling charge is an extra fee for shipments that require special handling while being transported and will depend on the item’s packaging, weight and dimensions.  

3. Residential Delivery Charge A Residential Delivery is delivery to a non-commercial address, such as a home or a home-based business, in a residential area  

4. Delivery Area Surcharge The Delivery Area Surcharge is to a location the carrier deems as a rural area (and is often in addition to the Residential Delivery Charge). Carriers define what they view as a rural location, as well as which zip codes are subject to delivery area surcharges.  

5. Oversize / Large Package Charge  An Oversize / Large Package Charge is based on the item’s dimensions and weight.  

6. Late Payment Fee Late payments result in a Late Payment Fee and could even result in a carrier withholding items until the payment is complete.

Quadient’s suite of best-in-class smart software and hardware solutions helps businesses avoid common surcharges

Generate detailed mailing, shipping, and tracking reports and identify cost-saving opportunities to help meet business challenges, now and in the future.

• Validate, correct and standardize addresses in just a few clicks Built for easy integration and maintenance, Quadient’s comprehensive address data quality solutions help you streamline mail preparation and correct existing records so you can take advantage of postal presort discounts.  

• Get parcels out the door quickly, for less Quadient provides several web-based and meter-based software tools to enhance your mailing and shipping operations. Take advantage of cost savings by accessing the most efficient postage costs, so you save on every letter or package you send. Access tools that leverage your current relationship with your primary carrier in order to improve tracking, visibility, and budget allocation while adhering to your time and transit requirements.  

• A single view across all your mailing and shipping operations Improve your customer interactions and business processes with a cloud-based solution that combines leading edge technologies. S.M.A.R.T. by Quadient, is the ultimate Shipping, Mailing, Accounting, Reporting and Tracking software – all from a single user interface. When it comes to shipping, two things are certain – shipping expenses keep rising and the rules keep changing. That's why thousands of businesses worldwide trust Quadient to make the shipping management process easy, efficient, and economical,